A Roman Philosopher by the name of Gaius Plinius Secundus once said “Home is where the heart is”. This is a popular quote that many people use today as a way of saying that a place becomes a home because you put your heart into it. A person’s home is comforting, filled with cherished items and family. While home is everyone’s favorite place, most people end up spending more time in the office than at home every day. Although some people like to keep work and home separate, it is not a bad idea to make your office homier. Your office space should be somewhere between home and work, it should be comfortable yet still functional. It is possible to make your office more inviting. With just a couple tweaks your office will be feeling more comfortable in no time.

Clean & Clutter free

The first and probably the number one way to make your office more inviting is having a clean and clutter free space. Nothing could be worse than trying to get work done when your desk and computer desktop are a mess. Having clutter makes you distracted and can take your mind away from the task at hand. Not only can clutter take away your ability to get work done, but it can take away from you comfort level as well. Here are a few tips on how to declutter your space.

Desk drawers- Drawers should be thought of as a hierarchy of importance. This means the closer the drawer is to you and your dominant hand the more importance it has. You should keep the items that are a staple to your work available in the top for easy retrieval.

The top of your desk- When making sure the top of your desk is neat you need to keep track of what you use, whatever you don’t use throw it out. Be efficient!

IN/OUT Box-Vertical in/out box over your horizontal in/out box. With horizontal it only places files into a neat pile where things can get lost/misplaced. Vertical boxes allow all files to still be shown so nothing will be misplaced.

Wires-Clean up wires in your office spaces so that they do not get in your way. Tie them neatly under your desk, you can tape them to the side of your desk, or just get rid of any that are not needed.

A simple background- Having a personal picture as your background is popular, but once you start placing files and icons over it things can start to look messy and can affect your productivity. A simple fix is to use a solid color or even a faded picture as the background, this makes your desktop look calm.

Store only temporarily items- Just like your desk only keep items on the desktop temporarily. Examples of what are temporary items are pictures that still need editing, or just working documents. Once you are done with what you are working on, file it if it needs to be kept or trash it if you do not need it anymore.

Use software to help with organizing- There are software for the Mac(Dragthing) And Windows (Fences) that will sort and organize everything into it’s different categories. Examples are “daily use”, “projects”, this makes everything easy to find and neat. Both software have free trails then monthly payments.

Make filing automatic- With programs for the Mac(Hazel) and Windows (Belvedere) you will not have to move files manually anymore. You can set up your own rules for frequent commands like automatically deleting files after one month or even storing screenshots into a screenshot file. Both programs have a free month trail then monthly payment.

Create Multiple Desktops– For the Mac this feature is already included by hitting F3 you can create more desktops, for windows (Dexpot) the program needed to be downloaded but is free. By having multiple desktops this can help give you a fresh start on one desktop or you can have a desktop for different uses. For example, a desktop for home and another for work.

Clean up- Lastly, before you leave your office space for the day make sure to clean everything on your desk and your desktop. This way it will be enjoyable to return to the following day.

Aesthetics

Color- A good way to add some color to your office space is to add draperies and colors that please the eye and that will not distract from work.

Office chair- it is important that your office chair is comfortable yet still functional. You should have an arm rest that is low enough for the shoulders to rest and for the elbows to bend at an 90 degree angle. Feet should also be flat and firm on the ground while sitting down.

Equipment- A quality keyboard and mouse are important so that you can get your work down without having to worry about technical problems.

Personal touches- Bring in some pictures, a decorative pillow, maybe even a lamp that you like.

Final Touches- Lastly, make sure to get rid of anything broken or dirty from your desk so that it looks clean and put together.

Create and Use Systems While at the Office

By having a daily system, you can help reduce clutter and anxiety.

Files- Color-coded files and folders will help you keep things together and to see what is what.

Routine- Create routines such as when you check emails, take breaks, block time to work on different things, and to return calls.

Think before you print- Every time you go to hit the print button ask yourself does this really needed printed or could it stay in electronic form. Also, make sure the document looks how you want it to appear. Utilized the print preview.

Use the touch it once system– When you pick up a piece of paper decide what to do with it then either shred it, toss it, file it, or trash it. This way paper doesn’t just move back and forth across your desk. There is a place for everything and everything should be in its place, even if that means the trash.

Personality

Bring in Items- Add decorative items, photos, and souvenirs to make the office more comfortable.

More Inviting- Display items that make you smile, remind you of good times, or loved ones.

Inspiration- Make a motivational board that has images and quotes that inspire you to achieve your goals.

Clutter- Even though you need to add personality, make sure to not clutter up your desk. If it is possible hang some items on the walls.

Bring the Nature Inside

Outside- Living plants, flowers, unique stones or even seashells can brighten up your desk. This adds a touch a nature, and will bring some of the freshness of outside in. Everyone gets the winter blues having a touch a nature will help.

Brighten Up the Space

Lighting can set the mood and make a difference in productivity, behavior, and hormonal balance.

Booster- Use natural light as much as possible. The sun is a mood productivity booster.

Backup plan- If you cannot use natural lighting to your advantage, get a lamp that can also show your personality.